Personal Model of Helping
Kelly Beard
December 2, 2011
BSHS/311
Latrice Benson

My Personal Model of Helping Helping people to triumph over their problems is a very complex job that requires determination, honesty, ethics, persistence and responsibility. While the job of a human services worker can be difficult, it is also a rewarding way of making a difference in other people’s lives. Fortunately for me and my fellow classmates there have been many psychologists before us who have studied and experimented for years in the human services field. Thanks to these psychologists and their research we now have the opportunity of choosing between an assortment of theories and models to find the one that best fits each client’s situation. Each client and situation is unique and therefore it would be best to adjust your approach depending on what will work best for the client. I feel that it would be best to use a combination of theories for most clients rather than just focusing on one. However, I intend on working primarily with children so the theory that better captures my attention is the social learning theory, which is a part of behaviorism. In this paper we will discuss what I have learned about behaviorism and the kinds of problems that can be addressed by using this theory. It is my hope that after reading this paper you will have a better understanding of my enthusiasm and views regarding the human services field and the theories that I have chosen to focus on. Working with children is one of the hardest yet most important jobs that one can do. Children are often innocents trapped in a bad situation. Parents do not always make the best decisions with their lives and it is the children who have to suffer. There was a situation where a mother of three was on her 4th marriage and the new man in her life was a convicted felon. The mother became pregnant with a fourth child and refused to leave the convict even though he would often beat her and her three children. The further along the mother became in her pregnancy the more attention the man began showing the 13 year old daughter. Even though the mother suspected something was going on with her daughter she was to afraid to leave and therefore she did nothing to stop it. These children were defenseless against their mother’s horrible new husband. They did not make the decision to have this awful new man in their lives and they did not ask to be beaten and molested on a regular basis. The trauma, hardships and years of counseling that followed for these children was dreadful. It is my passion to help kids in situations such as this to overcome their parents’ mistakes and break the cycle of violence that they have been unfortunate enough to have to live through. Children are very impressionable and I truly believe that we learn by what we experience in our enviroment. If a young boy grows up with a father who beats his family on a regular basis then he is going to feel that this behavior is o.k. and will more than likely grow up to be an abusive father himself. This is a horrific cycle that must be broken in order for us to have an influence on society.
Whatever we teach our children will be reflected on the future of humanity since they are the future. That is why I feel it is so important to teach children about values and counsel them to overcome their problems in a healthy way. It is crucial that our children grow-up in an environment full of positive role models and behaviors for a healthier society. When counseling kids we should take the role of supporters and motivators in their lives. We must coach and lead them through the process of behavioral modification in order to heal these kids and break the cycle of violence. How can we change the negative behaviors in our children? We can start by using some of the techniques in behaviorism and social learning. Children are like sponges, constantly absorbing